Faucet



UMTE STATES- ATEN i Price.

EDWARD G. PFAU AND CHARLES PFAU, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

FAUCET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,845, dated June 9, 1885.

Application tiled December 3, 1884. (No' model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD G. PFAU and CHAS. PFAU, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, and State of Ohio, havejointly inventeda new and useful Improvement in Faucets, of which the following is a specification.

' Our invention relates to improvements in faucets or cocks designed for use on hydrants, whereby the service pipe or pipes can be auto matically drained of the surplus water remaining therein. In cold Weather this is a special feature, as it prevents the stoppage of the water-supply, plumbing expenses, the bursting of pipes in consequence of the water freezing therein, and the numerous other annoyances too well known to be designated herein. These advantages will be understood from the explanation hereinafter given, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a sectional view of an ordinary faucet with the key thereof partly'in section, in thelatter of which is illustrated our improvement. This view shows the ports closed, so as to prevent any water passing through the faucet. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the key and its contained mechanism, taken through the line x 00, Fig. 1, the view being enlarged to double the size of the same parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged View, in section, showing more clearly than in Fig. 1 the interior construction of our faucet and the position of its different parts.

A is the spout of an ordinary faucet, and B the port through which the water enters from the service-pipe.

O is the handle or key by which the water can be turned on or oft.

d is an air-duct running horizontally through the key. The diameter of the key from below the duct d is somewhat enlarged, so that it may contain the chamber hereinafter described.

0 is a vertical duct communicating with the duct (1.

f is a pocket or chamber in the key below the duct e. In this chamber is a plug or valve, 19. The length of the chamberf is about twice the thickness of the valve 10, and the diameter of the latter is a trifle less than that of the chamber f.

Running from near the bottom of the chamchamber f.

berf and through the rubber packing, which is inserted on the lower end of the key, is a small tube, 0. cation between the chamber f and the port B. The end of this tube, as is seen, projects a little below the rubber packing P, and is provided with a screw-thread. Upon this is fastened a small nut, 12, or disk. By this means it will be seen that the packing is held securely in place and prevented from being disengaged from the key. It will be noticed that the top of this tube 0 projects slightly into the This projecting portion is provided with a small slot, preferably V-shaped. This slot is shown at s, Fig. 2. The object of this slot is to prevent the total closing of the tube 6 by the plug p, and to admit of a suffi- This tube ,forms a communicient amount of air passing therein as will ex-.

ert a pressure upon the water in port 13, and drive it out therefrom and thence from the service-pipe.

The operation of our device is as follows:

Let it be supposed that the watersis shut off in the faucet, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to obtain a supply. The key or handle is turned in the ordinary way and the packing P is raised so as to permit the liquid to flow from the port 13, through the faucet, and out in spout A. The water flowing through the faucet will exert an upward pressure and a portion of it will rise and force itself into tube 0, thence into the chamber f, carrying with it the plug or valve 19 until the latter is forced against the top of chamber f, when it closes the duct 6 and prevents the water entering therein. After a sufficient supply of water has been obtained the handle 0 is turned again, so as to shut off the supply of water. The water having been shut off from the service-pipe by means of the ordinary stop and waste cock in the cellar, no upward pressure by the water is exerted, and the valve 19 is permitted to drop to the bottom of chamber f. By the dropping of said valve air is permitted to flow from the spout A into the horizontal duct (1, as shown by the arrows.

from duct d into passage 6, and from thence to chamber f. The valve 19 being smaller in diameter than the chamber f, the air is enabled to circulate around it and into the V-shaped slot 3 on the upper side of the tube 0, as shown.

Continuing its course, it flows IOO My improvements can be applied to any 1 faucet now in use, whether self closing or otherwise, and by their adoption it will readily be seen that the pipes can automatically be kept free from water when not desired, freezing and bursting are prevented, and much expense and annoyance saved.

If at any time it be not desired to make use of these improvements, a disk without an aperture can be used instead of the nut n. This will close up the tube 6 and prevent the act ing of the vent; or the spigot in the cellar or lowest faucet on the premises can be kept closed. This will prevent the escape of the water and consequent nonaction of the vent.

We are aware that it is not new to provide the valve of a bib cock with a puppetwalve adapted to fall by gravity and to rise by the pressure of the water to open and close the airvents, and this idea we do not claim, broadly; but,

Having thus fully set forth our invention, what we do claim is- 1. The combination, with the partitioned body of afaucet and avalve-plug for closing the same provided with a cylindrical chamber coinmunicating with the two chambers of the faucet, of a piston loosely mounted within said i cylindrical chamber, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the partitioned, body ofa'faucet and avalve-plug for closing the same provided with a cylindrical ehambercom municating at its upper end with the outletport of the faucet by lateral passages and at its lower end with the inlet-port by a tube, of a piston loosely mounted in said cylindrical chamber, as shown and described.

3. In a faucet, the combination, with thepartitioned body, of a valve-plug therefor provided with a chamber at its lower end communicating with the upper and lower ducts of the faucet and a valve or piston of less diameter than the chamber and placed loosely therein, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a faucet, the combination of a partitioned body, a valve or gate for controlling the discharge of water therefrom, said valve or gate carrying at its lower end a chamber, f, communicating with the discharge-port by openings d e, and with the supply-port by a tube, a, and a valve, 10, of less diameter than and seated in the chamber, and adapted to prevent the egress of water and allow the ingress of air to the chamber, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The herein-described faucet,,consisting of openings d 6, tube 0, having slot 8, packing P, and nut n, and the valve p, of less diameter :than, the chamber f, and carried thereby, as

and for the. purpose set forth.

EDWARD G. PFAU. CHARLES PFAU. 

